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US 2020/0348634 A1Published application
Forming control apparatus, and method and storage medium therefor
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsKotaro Matsuda, Takeshi Ishikura
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention control a forming unit of a 3D printer so as to additionally form a second object in a free space in the forming unit when receiving an instruction to form the second object and forming data in the middle of a forming process for a first object by the forming unit.
Claims33
A forming control apparatus for controlling a forming process performed by a forming unit configured to form a three-dimensional object, the forming control apparatus comprising:
- a memory storing codes;
- and
- a processor which is capable of executing the codes causing the forming control apparatus to:
- obtain a time period to be taken until a forming process performed by the forming unit is completed concerning a first object;
- receive, during the forming process for the first object performed by the forming unit, an instruction to form a second object, which is different from the first object, and forming data corresponding to the second object;
- specify a third three-dimensional space where, within the forming unit, an object can be additionally formed by the forming unit, based on a first three-dimensional space of the forming unit where an object can be formed and a second three-dimensional space required to form the first object in the first three-dimensional space;
- determine whether the second object can be formed in the third three-dimensional space;
- and
- obtain a time period concerning the first object and the second object, as a total time period of the forming process for the first object being formed and the second object determined to be formable.
6 more elements
A control method comprising:
- obtaining a time period to be taken until a forming process performed by a forming unit is completed concerning a first object;
- receiving, during the forming process for the first object performed by the forming unit, an instruction to form a second object, which is different from the first object, and forming data corresponding to the second object;
- specifying a third three-dimensional space where, within the forming unit, an object can be additionally formed by the forming unit, based on a first three-dimensional space of the forming unit where an object can be formed and a second three-dimensional space required to form the first object in the first three-dimensional space;
- determining whether the second object can be formed in the third three-dimensional space;
- and
- obtaining a time period concerning the first object and the second object, as a total time period of the forming process for the first object being formed and the second object determined to be formable.
3 more elements
A non-transitory computer readable storage medium on which is stored a computer program for causing a computer to execute a control method, the control method comprising:
- obtaining a time period to be taken until a forming process performed by a forming unit is completed concerning a first object;
- receiving, during the forming process for the first object performed by the forming unit, an instruction to form a second object, which is different from the first object, and forming data corresponding to the second object;
- specifying a third three-dimensional space where, within the forming unit, an object can be additionally formed by the forming unit, based on a first three-dimensional space of the forming unit where an object can be formed and a second three-dimensional space required to form the first object in the first three-dimensional space;
- determining whether the second object can be formed in the third three-dimensional space;
- and
- obtaining a time period concerning the first object and the second object, as a total time period of the forming process for the first object being formed and the second object determined to be formable.
3 more elements
A forming control apparatus for controlling a forming process performed by a forming unit configured to form a three-dimensional object, the forming control apparatus comprising,
- a memory storing codes;
- and
- a processor which is capable of executing the codes causing the forming control apparatus to:
- receive, during the forming process for a first object performed by the forming unit, an instruction to form a second object, which is different from the first object, and forming data corresponding to the second object;
- specify a third three-dimensional space where, within the forming unit, an object can be additionally formed by the forming unit, based on a first three-dimensional space of the forming unit where an object can be formed and a second three-dimensional space required to form the first object in the first three-dimensional space;
- determine whether the second object can be formed in the third three-dimensional space;
- and
- issue, to the forming unit, a forming control command based on the forming data for further forming the second object in the third three-dimensional space in a case where it is determined that the second object can be formed in the third three-dimensional space,
- wherein there is a space where no object is formed between the second three-dimensional space and the third three-dimensional space.
6 more elements
A control method comprising:
- receiving, during a forming process for a first object performed by a forming unit, an instruction to form a second object, which is different from the first object, and forming data corresponding to the second object;
- specifying a third three-dimensional space where, within the forming unit, an object can be additionally formed by the forming unit, based on a first three-dimensional space of the forming unit where an object can be formed and a second three-dimensional space required to form the first object in the first three-dimensional space;
- determining whether the second object can be formed in the third three-dimensional space;
- and
- issuing, to the forming unit, a forming control command based on the forming data for further forming the second object in the third three-dimensional space in a case where it is determined that the second object can be formed in the third three-dimensional space,
- wherein there is a space where no object is formed between the second three-dimensional space and the third three-dimensional space.
3 more elements
A non-transitory computer readable storage medium on which is stored a computer program for causing a computer to execute a control method, the control method comprising:
- receiving, during a forming process for a first object performed by a forming unit, an instruction to form a second object, which is different from the first object, and forming data corresponding to the second object;
- specifying a third three-dimensional space where, within the forming unit, an object can be additionally formed by the forming unit, based on a first three-dimensional space of the forming unit where an object can be formed and a second three-dimensional space required to form the first object in the first three-dimensional space;
- determining whether the second object can be formed in the third three-dimensional space;
- and
- issuing, to the forming unit, a forming control command based on the forming data for further forming the second object in the third three-dimensional space in a case where it is determined that the second object can be formed in the third three-dimensional space,
- wherein there is a space where no object is formed between the second three-dimensional space and the third three-dimensional space.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.